Belmont: Bond stablemates run one-two

ELMONT, N.Y. - Princess Dixie finally got the better of her stablemate Along Came Mary, holding on for a three-quarter-length victory in the $114,300 Mount Vernon Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares. It was 10 lengths back to Moonlightandbeauty in third.

The previous time the two James Bond-trained fillies met, Along Came Mary won an allowance race and last December's Montauk Handicap over Princess Dixie. The Mount Vernon, scheduled to be run at nine furlongs on the turf, was transferred to a muddy main track, the fifth such New York Racing Association turf stakes to be run on dirt this year.

Princess Dixie, under Edgar Prado, and Along Came Mary, under Jorge Chavez, were heads apart through an opening quarter-mile run in 23.77 seconds. Chavez took Along Came Mary back, but when she launched her bid through the stretch, Princess Dixie held her at bay.

Princess Dixie, a 4-year-old daughter of Dixie Brass, is now 6-6-1 from 15 starts and has earned $406,681 for owner James Edwards.